It is safe to say that there can't be too many schools with a list of alumni as rich with famous names as that of Whitgift School in South Croydon.

There also can't be many schools that can boast to being home to a variety of exotic birds and small marsupials.

Established in 1596 by the then Archbishop of Canterbury, John Whitgift, the school is one of the most prestigious in the country, currently educating just under 1,500 boys aged 10 to 18.

When asked about famous names that came out of Whitgift School, most people will talk about the long list of sporting talent to have been educated there, including former Crystal Palace and now Chelsea footballer, Victor Moses, and England Rugby internationals Elliot Daly and Danny Cipriani.

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But did you know that illusionist Derren Brown and JB from boyband JLS were also former students?

Given the extraordinary number of facilities available at the independent school, on Haling Park, it is perhaps unsurprising that it is also to boast an impressive alumni, but moving away from the stats and the facilities, what is the school like for pupils and teachers?

What is it like having albino peacocks parading around you during lunchtime? Is it possible to try all 42 sports the school offers? And do the children feel pressure to succeed, given the prestigious Whitgift name?

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Daniel explained that he was accepted into the school on his third application attempt.

He said: "You have to sit a few exams and then the school makes the decision as to whether you should be given a place.

"I'm from just down the road, and when I heard about the school, I decided that I really wanted to go here, which is why I kept applying."

Many of the students have aspirations to attend prestigious universities, including Femi, who, although just 11-years-old, already has his sights set on studying at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) in the US.

Headmaster Chris Ramsey and some students (Image: Whitgift School)

Before we met him, Femi was described to us as a "coding genius", who has already made contacts at Google and has taught adults in Bangladesh.

Boys at Whitgift are spoilt for choice when it comes to sport and activities. There are 42 to choose from, including modern pentathlon, water polo and mountaineering.

"It's great to have lots of options," said Max.

"I've tried so many sports that I had never thought about before, and I play in the football A-team.

"The coaching we get is amazing, which I think is one of the best things about the school."

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When asked whether the long list of sporting stars to have come from the school plays on his mind, Daniel said: "I don't feel any extra pressure.

"It's just cool to see that my school has produced lots of good sportsmen, so I know I'm getting the best coaching."

There are 42 sports currently on offer at Whitgift School

As an all-boys school, the only female interaction the students have during school hours is through some of their teachers and during drama production auditions, when girls from the area are able to audition for female roles.

But none of the boys seemed to mind at all, with Max even suggesting that having girls at the school would simply be a distraction.

Head master, Chris Ramsey, explained there are currently no plans to have girls attend the school in the future.

But then it was onto the all-important questions. What is having peacocks, flamingos and wallabies in the school grounds actually like?

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"You can be sitting in class when suddenly a peacock cries out, and if you've never heard a peacock call, it's loud," he added, seconds before a peacock's cry shook the walls of the school. He wasn't wrong.

During our tour, we had to wait for a few minutes to enter the reception area as a peacock was blocking the door - not an issue many schools have to face.

The Whitgift School site is 46 acres (Image: SkyPower)

As well as the dozens of sports to play, the school offers eight languages, as well as subjects such as classics and - for first year students only - ancient history.

On the day of our visit, the school's latest drama production, Alice in Wonderland, was going to start that evening.

All of the boys are encouraged to get involved with productions in some way, whether on-stage or behind the scenes.